Hand brake



April 26, 1932. 1J, HVEEM 1,855,715

' HAND BRAKE 'Filed Sept. l0, 1930 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 STATES Pantani"k OFFICE f JOHN J'. HVEEM, OF MAYWGOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO W. II. MINER, INC., OF CHICAGO,` Y Y ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE HAND BRAKE Application led September 10, 1930. Serial No. 480,853.

This invention relates to improvements in hand brakes.

One obj ect of the invention is to provide a A power multiplying hand brake mechanism, g including a chain winding element, especial ly adapted for railway cars, wherein quick release of the brakes is had with free'runni'ng of the chain Vwinding means, the power multiplication being obtained by `worm gear 11o means, and the quick release being effected by separation of the gear members to permit the free rotation of the chain winding means. A further object of :the invention is topro- .3 vide in a hand brake mechanism of the characterindioated in the preceding paragraph a power multiplying means comprising intermeshing worm and worm gear elements, separation of which to release the brakes is efi fected by simple and efficient manually controlled means, including toggle acting elements.

Another object of the invention is to proc vide a hand brake mechanism including a chain winding drum and power multiplying worm and worm gear drive means, wherein the pull or tension of the tightened brake chain is employed to separate and disengage A the worm and worm gears to eect quick reo lease, locking means being employed to hold the worm engaged with the worm wheel, or gear, the chain winding drum being mounted so as to be moved away from the worm by the pull of the chain when the locking means is released by the brakeman, free rotation of the chain winding drum being thus permitted.

Other objects of the invention Vwill more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, 'Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view through the end wall of a railway car illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the brake mechanism being shown in side elevation and theoperating hand wheel thereof in section. And Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view corresponding substantiallyy to the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a housing within which the operating parts of the brake mechanism are contained, the housing being directly secured to the end wall of the car. The housing comprises a fiat, vertical, rear wall 11,'spaced, vertical side walls 12 and 13, a topl wall 14 and a front curved wall 15. The rear wall 11 is provided with three securing lugs 16-16 for mounting the housing on the end wall 10 of the car, two of the lugs 16 extending laterally from one side and the third lug upstanding therefrom, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The housing is fixed to the end wall 10 of the car byA any suitable securing means, four rivets being shown, three of which extend through the lugs 16-16 and 16, and the fourth of which extends through the lower righthand corner of the rear wall 11, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The housing is open at the bottom so as to accommodate the brake chain 17 for movement, the chain being connected to the brake mechanism proper of the railway car in the usual manner. At the top the housf ing is provided with an odset portion, at they lefthand side thereof, as indicated at 18, ,this offset portion forming a chamber to house the worin driving member, as lhereinafter more fully pointed out. The side wall`12 of thehousing is provided with a vertically disposed guide opening 19, which is' reinforced by outstanding flange members --20 along the top and side edges thereof. As most clearly shown in Figure 1, the iiange members 20-20 at the sides of the guide opening project below the bottom of the housing and provide supporting bracketV means, for a purpose hereinafter described. At the up per ends, the side flange members have in-i wardly projecting angular sections for re' taining a slide member hereinafter described. The side flange members also have outwardlyy proj ecting arc shaped members `-50 there- Von provided with opposed interior are shaped guide grooves 51-51, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

My improved hand brake mechanism proper comprises broadly a chain winding` drum A; a worm gear B a worm member C ;'a rhand wheel D; a carrier'slide E for `supporting thel chain winding drum; and a lever operated` chain `17.

toggle mechanism F for actuating the slide and holding the same locked in operative position.

The chain winding drum A is preferably of conical or tapered form, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and has bearing members 21 and 22 at `opposite ends thereof. The bearing member 22 is of ball-like shape, as clearly shown in Figure 2, and is rotatably journaled in fa sectional socket'member 23 formed on the side wall 13 of the housing and projecting outwardly therefrom. The bearing member 21 at the opposite end is of cylindrical form. Between the lefthand end of the chain winding portion of the drum and the bearing member21, the `drum is provided with a disclike flange portion, which is thickened at the periphery -thereof `and forms the worm gear member B. rlhe peripheral thickened portion of the worm gear B has the usual worm vthreads formed thereon. The bearing member 21 of the drum is rotatably supported in the carrier slide E, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.' The chain winding drum is also provided with a pair of outstanding lugs 24-24 to which the inner end of the brake chain 17 is-secured, a pin or boltmember 25 being employed for this purpose, the same extending through alined openings in the lugs 24-24 and through .the end link of the .The Worm member C is disposed above the worm gear B., transversely of the axis of rotation of the chain winding drum and is mounted within the offset section 18 of the housing. rlhe worm member C comprises an elongated shaft-like element, on which the Worm threads are formed. To the right of the threaded section, as shown in Figure 1, the shaft element has a collar 26, which bears on :the front Wafll section of the housing. Outwaldly of the collar 26, the shaft element Y has acylindrical bearing portion 27 journaled within a bearing member provided on the front wall of the housing. At the inner end,

the Worm element C is provided with an enlarged cylindrical bearing portion 28, preferably of atleast as great a diameter as the threaded portion of the worm member, the portion 28 being journaled in a bearing opening 29 provided in the rear wall portion of the offset section of the housing, the bearin g opening being lclosed by a -cover plate 3() secured by any suitable means such as cap screws .3l-31 extending through the cover pla-te and into the rear portion of the housing. At the outer end, the Worm element C is provided with a'red-uced tapered portion 32 of substantially square cross section, .on which the hand wheel D is secured, the hub of the hand `Wheel being provided with a tapered socket fitting zthe portion .V32 ,of the shaft andjbeing held Von the shaft means of the usual retainingY nut threaded `on the extremity `of `the shaft. The wor-m element lC has the threads thereof normally in mesh with the threads of the worm gear B, as clearly illustrated in both Figures l and 2.

rIhe carrier slide E is in the form of a relatively heavy block having a journal opening 33 therein receiving `the cylindrical bearing portion 21 of the chain winding drum A. The carrier or slide E is mounted within the guideway 19 of the housing and has a pair of toggle links Bil-34' pivotally connected therewith, the upper ends of the links 34 being provided with pivot openings 35-35, receiving trunnion members 36-36 projecting from opposite sides of the block-like carrier member E. The lever operated toggle mechanism F for actuating the slide E, comprises a toggle lever 37 and further includes the two links 31a- 34. The toggle lever member 37 is of bell crank form, having an operati-ng handle on the outer end thereof and being pivoted -on a supporting bolt 38, which has the opposite ends thereof supported by the bracket-like extensions of the side flanges 20-20 on the housing. The short arm member of the vbell crank lever, which is indicated by 39, is pivotally connected to the lower ends of the toggle links 34-34 by means of a pivot pin 40, the arm 39 extending between the two links 3%34. The opposite .ends of the pini() are guided in the slots 51-51 and inward movement .of the pin is limited by the inner end walls .of the slots 51-51, and cotter pins 52-52 extending through the slots prevent escape of the pin and limit its outward movement. The 'links 341-34 fit between the block E and the side walls of the guide opening, so that the block E will be properly guided in Va vertical path. As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the toggle mechanism is movable to a position beyond vertical alineinent of the `three pivot members of the same -so that the carrier E will be locked when the gear B and the worm C are in operative engagement. Swinging movement of the Ytoggle links 34-34 and the arm 39 toward the right, as viewed in Figure 2, is limited by engagement of the pin 40 with the shoulders formed bythe inner end walls of the slots 51-51, as hereinbeforepointed out. Engagement `of the pin 40 with the cotter pins at the outer ends of the slots 51-,51 limits movement of the toggle means in the reverse direction.

In tightening the brakes, `with the parts in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hand wheel D is rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby eHect-ing rotation of the worm C and the intermeshing worm gear B, thus rotating theV chain winding drum A and winding the chain thereon. During this operation, the worm B is held in meshing engagement with the worm element C by the toggle mechanism F, as hereinbefore pointed out. l/Vhen it is desired to release the brakes, the hand grip portion of the lever 37 is depressed, thereby swinging the bell crank lever so as to move the toggle arm 39 thereof free to rotate and the chain will quickly un-k wind therefrom, thereby releasing the brakes. Movement of the worm gear B away from the worm element C is accommodated by the swinging movement of the chain winding drum on the ball and socket bearing connection thereof provided by the bearing elements 22 and 23. It is further pointed out that due to the tension of the brake chain when tightened and the weight ofthe chain winding drum A, there will be a tendency of the drum to be pulled away from the worm element C, this action being prevented by the locked toggle mechanism comprising the links 3Ll-34 and toggle arm 39. As will be evident, a slight movement of the operating lever 37 downwardly will bring the pivot member 40 of the toggle mechanism F into alinement with the pivots formed by the pin 38 and the trunnions 36-36, thereby slightly raising the corresponding end of the chain winding drum against the pull ofthe brake chain. As soon as the toggle links are moved to a position beyond that just described, the toggle mechanism will be broken and the pull of the chain will positively move the chain winding drum away from the worm C and disengage the worm gear B therefrom.

After the brakes have been released, the worm gear B is re-engaged with the worm element C by pulling the lever 37 upwardly, thereby operating the toggle link mechanism to restore the carrier E and the chain winding drum A to their normal position. In restoring the parts to this position, the toggle mechanism is actuated to such an eXi tent as to again lock the same, as clearly shown in Figure 2. As will be evident, the weight of the brake chain together with the weight of the chain winding drum will act to hold the toggle mechanism locked until again released by the brakeman.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modiications'that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a hand brake mechanism., the combination with a chain winding drum; of a gear fixed to the drum; driving means meshing with the gear 5 manually controlled means for disengaging said gear from said driving means by movement of said drum and gear away from said driving means and in a. direction corresponding to the direc-tion ofthe pull exerted by the-tension of the tightened brake chain.

2. In a vhand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain'winding drum rota-tf able about a horizontal aXis and having .the brake chain connected thereto and depending therefrom; ofa worm. gear iiXed to the drum means for-pulling the chain-upwardly to tighten the-brakes by rotation of said drum including a driving worm member disposed above the drum and normally meshing with the gear to eHect rotation ofy the drum to wind the chain thereon; lever operated toggle-r means for moving said drum and worm gear toward and away fromthe worm member;

and stop means cooperating with said toggle means, said toggle means normally holding said worm.V gearengaged with said worm member and having the togglemembers thereof locked by engagement with said stop means to hold the-parts engaged, said locked condition of the toggle members being broken when the lever mechanism is operated ina direction to separate the worm gear from said worm.

3. In a hand brake mechanism, the combina-tion with a chain winding drum rotatable about a horizontal axis, said drum being pivotally supported at one end; a slide sup-- porting the other end of the drum; a worm gear iiXed to said drum ga driving worm member meshing with said worm gear; means connected to said slide for supporting and actuating the same, including a p-ivoted operating lever having a toggle arm thereon and toggle link mea-ns pivotally connected at opposite ends to said toggle arm and slide respectively.

4. In a hand brake mechanism, the combination with a chain winding drum rotatable about a horizontal axis, said drum being pivotally supported at one end; a slide supporting the other end of the drum; a worm gear iiXe-d to said drum; a driving worm meshing with said worm gear; means connected to said slide for supporting and actuating the same, including a pivoted operating lever having a toggle arm thereon and toggle link means pivotally connected at opposite ends of said toggle arm and slide respectively, said toggle link means and toggle arm being movable in one direction to a point beyond straightened condition to lock the worm gear in meshing engagement with the worm; and abutment means cooperating with said toggle link means and arm for limit-ing movement thereof in said last named direction to effect said locking,

ing ldrum and .quick release of Lthe brakes.

5. In a hand brakemechanism, thevcombination Wfiiih :4L-chain Winding drum; 'Of'a Worm gear iixedco thefdrum .a manually rotatable Worm member meshing with the gear; manually vcontrolled means for disengaging said lgear from .said Worm'member Vby movement -of'said-drumand gear kaway from said Worin Amemberfand in a direction corresponding .to the direction :ot-he fpullexerted by the tension .of the tightened brake chain.

In wtnesschat Irvclaim the foregoing have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of September 1930i I .Y v JOHN J. 

